13 reasons why our body needs the correct amount of protein each day

Posted on 29. Jan, 2011 by Fitness Trainer in Foods Help Reduce Body Fat

13 reasons why our body needs the correct amount of protein each day

What should I know about protein?

Your body needs protein for nearly everything it does. Protein is needed to build and repair our muscles, to make our hair and skin, to fight against infections and to carry oxygen in our blood. Proteins are made up of building blocks called amino acids. There are about twenty different amino acids, and your body can actually make some of them. There are nine amino acids, however, that your body can’t make. These are called essential amino acids and the only way to get them is through the food you eat. It is important to eat a variety of protein foods every day to make sure your body gets all of the essential amino acids.

1 Not enough protein can lead to cravings for sugar and carbohydrates it can lead to mood swings, depression & a lack of energy in the afternoons.

2 Protein is excellent for fighting off hunger pangs because it increases the feeling of fullness for longer. It actually sends messages to the brain telling the brain that it is full and this feeling fuller for longer helps to prevent people snacking on the wrong foods.

3 Too much animal protein isn’t good for the body either, it can cause too much fat, too many calories and higher cholesterol and can have longer term consequences on the bowl, the colon and the kidney. Whereas vegetable/plant protein – ie Soy Protein is extremely kidney, heart, blood and cholesterol friendly and can actually help to reduce cholesterol.

4 Our bodies naturally store carbohydrates which slow down the metabolism, protein helps the body work harder to burn off the carbohydrates which in turn helps to speed up the metabolism.

5 Protein builds lean muscle and reduces body mass. Which when dieting means you lose inches. Think of 1lb of fat sat on a plate and think of 1 lb of lean chicken fillet, they both weigh the same but the area that the fat covers is far larger than the area that the lean chicken takes up. This is what happens when you introduce more protein into your diet when trying to lose weight. Protein helps to build lean muscle.

6 Protein repairs and rebuilds the body.

7 Hair, nails, organs and muscles are all made up of protein and if we don’t provide the body with sufficient protein each day then the body will rob it’s own muscle mass to get what it needs!

8 Protein stops muscle loss whilst dieting and promotes genuine fat loss which is exactly what you want when losing weight. You want the weight loss to come from the fat stores and not through loss of lean tissue.

9 Soy protein is 100% absorbed by the body which means it’s not inflammatory on the digestive system.

10 Protein gives better body shape whilst keeping body bulk.

11 Protein helps to keep weight off once you achieve your target weight.

12 Athletes are well known for using protein to help their bodies recover, repair and rebuild after exercise. Soy protein is the fat free way for them to keep lean and fit.

13 Vegetarians struggle terribly to get their protein intake up and quite often have a carbohydrate loaded diet which is why many vegetarians struggle to lose weight. Soy protein is an excellent way to redress this situation.